In many communication networks, content is distributed to different devices of the network. The devices that receive such content may comprise any of a wide variety of devices, including digital televisions, set-top boxes, wireless communication devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop or desktop computers, video gaming devices, video game consoles, cellular or satellite radio telephones, and the like. Users may order content from a service provider of the network via the devices. In response, the content can be delivered to the devices. For example, video distribution may be supported in a network. In this case, users can place requests for movies or other video that they want to watch. The requested movies are then distributed to the user devices, possibly for a fee.
Content distribution, however, is not limited to video. In particular, a wide variety of content may be delivered to users according to content distribution techniques. Generally, content may include movie files, audio files, video files, software packages, software upgrades, data files, video games, or any of a wide variety of other types of content useful for execution or presentation on a device. Wireless and wire-based network distribution of content is rapidly replacing conventional distribution techniques, e.g., that relied on physical media such as compact discs (CDs) and digital video discs (DVDs) for content distribution.